The Lhasa Apso is a small, hardy little dog. The body length is longer than the height of the dog. The small, dark, deep-set eyes are dark brown and the pendant ears are heavily feathered. The front legs are straight. The back legs are heavily covered in hair. The muzzle is medium in length. The teeth should meet in a level or slightly undershot bite. The feet are round, catlike with an abundance of hair. The tail is set high, well feathered and carried over the back in a screw. Some tails have a kink at the end. The dense, double coat is straight and long over the entire body, including over the head and eyes, reaching to the floor. Any color is acceptable in the show ring. Gold, cream, and honey are the most popular, but the coat also comes in dark-grizzle, slate, smoke, and multi-colors of brown, white and black. Puppy coats often change colors as the puppy grows. Owners often cut the dogs hair short in a puppy cut to make them easier to care for.

Height:

Dogs 10-11 inches a little less for Bitches

Weight:

Dogs 13-15 pounds

Living Conditions:

These dogs are good for apartment living. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.

Exercise:

Lhasa Apso need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard.

Grooming:

The long coat parts at the spine and falls straight on either side. No trimming or stripping is needed, although when in full coat, they need to be brushed about once a day to keep their coats from matting. Some owners opt to cut the coats short for easier grooming. Dry shampoo as necessary. Check the feet for matting and for foreign matter stuck there. Clean the eyes and ears meticulously, for they tend to tear. Some owners prefer to get their coats clipped to cut down on grooming. This breed sheds very little.

The Bichon Frise is a small, sturdy dog. When the dog is clipped in a show cut the body gives off a round appearance. The skull is slightly rounded. The muzzle is shorter than the skull, is not pointed, and has a slightly pronounced stop. The round eyes are black or dark brown. The ears are dropped covered in long hair. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite. The legs are straight and medium boned. Dewclaws are usually removed. The tail is carried over the back. The double coat is soft to the touch. The outer coat is 3 to 4 inches (7-10 cm) long and is coarser and curlier than the soft dense undercoat. Coat colors include solid white, cream, gray or apricot. White is preferred in the show ring. The coat is hypo-allergenic. Pet owners usually clip the dog in an easy care puppy cut that is the same length all over the body. The dog can be shown with its coat clipped like a poodle or with a long, puffy coat with the feet and muzzle clipped.

Height:

Males 9 – 12 inches Females 9 – 11 inches

Weight:

7 – 12 pounds

Living conditions:

The Bichon Frise can live in an apartment if it gets enough exercise. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard.

Exercise:

These are active little dogs that need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe, open area off-lead, such as a large fenced-in yard.

Grooming:

This breed should be groomed frequently and bathed every month. Professional grooming is recommended every 4 weeks. Trim around the eyes and ears with a blunt pair of scissors and clean the eyes extensively to prevent staining. Show dogs are trimmed with scissors. The body of pet dogs may be clipped with electric clippers though the rest of the dog must still be cut with scissors. The Bichon sheds little to no hair and is good for allergy sufferers.